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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27574226">Pinky Promise</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunalius/pseuds/lunalius'>lunalius</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Marriage Contracts, Sehun and Jongin are only there for a hot minute, im sorry jaehyun, other nct members mentioned - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:08:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,878</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27574226</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunalius/pseuds/lunalius</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Normal people go on at least three dates before they agree to get married.” </p><p>Youngho pressed Jungwoo’s hand against his chest, where he could feel his friend’s (friend? not-friend?) heart beating just as fast as his. “Do we really need to date at this point?”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kim Jungwoo/Suh Youngho | Johnny</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>90</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Pinky Promise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A request by twitter user sosuhnny~</p><p>There is some speculated infidelity but it does not actually take place </p><p>Idk how this got so big don't ask me I don't even Ship ship johnwoo. Unedited we die like men</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p2">Youngho was always the more romantic out of the two of them. Sure, they binged horror movies and snorted milk out their nose together, but it was Youngho who got swept up in the romantic dramas, Youngho who remembered all the big moments and important dates, Youngho who had the flowers tattooed all the way down his left arm.</p><p class="p2">So of course it was Youngho who would bring it up.</p><p class="p2">“You’re 30 now.” Youngho said it like it was nothing, sprawled out over their picnic blanket. But he hand one of Jungwoo’s hands clasped between both of his own. “And you’re single.”</p><p class="p2">Jungwoo scoffed, though his heart was ready to fall out of his chest. “Buy me dinner first.”</p><p class="p2">Youngho looked pointedly at the food set out around them.</p><p class="p2">“This is brunch.”</p><p class="p2">“Jungwoo yah.”</p><p class="p2">“Normal people go on at least three dates before they agree to get married.”</p><p class="p2">Youngho pressed Jungwoo’s hand against his chest, where he could feel his friend’s (friend? not-friend?) heart beating just as fast as his. “Do we really need to date at this point?”</p><p class="p2">Point made, point made.</p>
<hr/><p class="p2">The pact was made after Jungwoo’s trampoline accident. Jungwoo was seven and Youngho was ten and the trampoline at the playground wasn’t exactly the safe, no-springs kind. Jungwoo had thought it was a great idea to challenge Johnny to see who could jump higher, and that it would be cool to attempt the back flips Youngho could do, and well…</p><p class="p2">For the record, even in a neck brace, he still thought it was a great idea. He decided he would try it again when he was better. He got injured now, so he couldn’t possibly get injured the next time!</p><p class="p2">But because of the neck brace, Jungwoo couldn’t do anything. His parents wouldn’t let him anything other than watch movies, and because they refused to buy a DVD player, all Jungwoo had was his family’s sad, sad VHS collection.</p><p class="p2">But back to the pact.</p><p class="p2">“I think I want to be married by 25,” Youngho told him one day, when they were watching old re-runs of Pokemon.</p><p class="p2">Jungwoo sighed. “Hyung, did you watch kissing movies with your parents again?”</p><p class="p2">“No!” Youngho looked affronted. “But appa told me he was 25 when he got married, so I think I would like to be 25 too.”</p><p class="p2">“Hm.” Jungwoo chewed on his lip. It was a bad habit, and his mother kept telling him to stop. “My appa was probably 30 when he got married, so I think 30 is a good age. I don’t think anyone would marry me, though.”</p><p class="p2">“What? Why?”</p><p class="p2">Jungwoo swiped at his fringe, which came down to his eyebrows. “My hair doesn’t look very nice.”</p><p class="p2">“But you’re funny! I think everyone wants to marry funny people, even if they’re ugly.”</p><p class="p2">“Are you calling me ugly?”</p><p class="p2">“No! I’m just saying.” And after a few seconds of quiet, Youngho added, “If you and I aren’t married by the time you’re 30, then I’ll marry you.”</p><p class="p2">Jungwoo laughed so hard he had to stop before it hurt his neck. “I don’t even want to get married! It’s gross.”</p><p class="p2">But Youngho looked so sad, and Jungwoo did the math. When Jungwoo was 30, Youngho would be 33. And if Youngho wasn’t married by 33 when he wanted to be married by 25, that’d be — 33 minus 25 — eight whole years later than he wanted! And that would be really sad.</p><p class="p2">“Okay, hyung. Pinky promise that if we’re both like my sad uncle Huitaek when I turn 30, then we’ll get married.”</p><p class="p2">And that sealed the deal.</p><p class="p2">—</p><p class="p2">The pact was always supposed to be serious, even if pinky promises didn’t quite hold the same weight to Jungwoo at 14. They never talked about it, but Jungwoo made the mistake of bringing it up in front of Youngho’s cool friends from high school.</p><p class="p2">“Dating sounds weird,” Jungwoo told them. “It’s just a waste of time and money.”</p><p class="p2">“You’ll change your mind when you’re older,” Jongin said.</p><p class="p2">“No, I’m never going to date, ever.”</p><p class="p2">Sehun snorted. “Keep talking like that and you’ll end up single for the rest of your life. A sad, old, lonely man.”</p><p class="p2">“Won’t be a problem.” Jungwoo popped his lips as he talked. “Youngho hyung promised he’d marry me if we’re both single when I’m 30.”</p><p class="p2">Smugness turned to regret as soon as Youngho’s friends snorted into their tteokbokki and Youngho looked up at the ceiling in that way he did when he was suppressing an eyeroll.</p><p class="p2">“You’re right, Youngho yah,” Sehun laughed, “He really is a comedian.”</p><p class="p2">“We made that pact when we were kids, Jungwoo yah,” Youngho sighed. “It doesn’t count. I’m, like, almost an adult now.”</p><p class="p2">“Even if it was real,” Jongin added, “That plan relies on Youngho being single in his 30s. And that’s not going to happen.”</p><p class="p2">Sehun nodded. “Yeah, Youngho gets asked out all the time.”</p><p class="p2">“By girls <em>and</em> guys.”</p><p class="p2">“Oh yeah?” Jungwoo picked at a slice of onion. “Well, it doesn’t even matter, anyway. I can be a happy old man. What’s the point in getting married, anyway?”</p><p class="p2">“Oh, Youngho yah, I think you broke his heart.”</p><p class="p2">“Shut up, hyung,” Youngho hissed. “Jungwoo yah, you can find a date no problem. Just fix your hair.”</p><p class="p2">“I just said I don’t <em>want</em> a date.”</p><p class="p2">“Whatever!” Youngho shook his head. “Whatever happens. It doesn’t even matter, anyway, he’s like 13.”</p><p class="p2">“Heaps of time to change your mind,” Jongin agreed.</p><p class="p2">Jungwoo gathered the onion along with a rice cake and plopped it into his mouth. He would have liked to think he was so annoyed that it tasted like nothing, but no — food had never let Jungwoo down, not once in his life.</p><p class="p2">Unlike <em>some</em> people.</p>
<hr/><p class="p2">Despite the fact that Seoul had plenty of great parties going on and he had plenty of friends to catch up with, Youngho chose to spend New Year’s Eve with Jungwoo and his family.</p><p class="p2">“Three… two… one! Happy new year!” they cheered, watching the fireworks from their TV. It wasn’t as good as the real thing, but their rooftop was probably crowded and stuffy with their entire apartment. This was better.</p><p class="p2">“Okay, now drink,” Jungwoo’s father said, pouring beer into a glass. Youngho’s laughter rang through the room as Jungwoo’s mother told her husband off. “He’s 20 now, he’s got to drink.”</p><p class="p2">Jungwoo caught Youngho’s eye as his parents were busy fussing. Before he could wink or pull a face, Jungwoo’s father shoved the half-full glass into his hands. Jungwoo feigned innocent confusion, lifted it to his lips and immediately spit it out. “Oh! That taste! Oh…” He stuck his tongue out in the most exaggerated realistic display of disgust he could muster. “Appa! Never give me this again!”</p><p class="p2">Youngho was lying on his back, body wrenching uncontrollably, and his parents looked some mix of alarmed and concerned. Jungwoo blanched once again and pushed the glass away.</p><p class="p2">“I told you to start him off on something sweet.”</p><p class="p2">“Everyone starts with beer! I started with beer!”</p><p class="p2">As they bickered some more, Youngho leaned over and rested his head on Jungwoo’s shoulder. “You’re quite the actor.”</p><p class="p2">Jungwoo scoffed. “What are you talking about? I’m not acting.”</p><p class="p2">“Oh, of course not.”</p><p class="p2">“You’re making me look bad, hyung.”</p><p class="p2">Youngho laughed hard enough that Jungwoo could feel his breath against his ear. “I think you do that on your own.”</p><p class="p2">Later, when it was time for Youngho to go home, a much more tipsy Jungwoo sat on the floor next to him as he put on his shoes. “Thank you for coming tonight, hyung.”</p><p class="p2">Youngho glanced over his shoulder. “Of course. I had a great time. I won’t get to see you for your actual birthday, so I thought I should be here.”</p><p class="p2">“You could’ve had a better time getting dicked down behind an Itaewon bar.”</p><p class="p2">Youngho shoved his head between his legs, shoulders shaking. “What?”</p><p class="p2">“What? That’s what Sehun hyung said you do.”</p><p class="p2">“Sehun hyung is so…” Youngho shook his head. “Fine, I admit it. I could have been doing that, but I had a pretty good time with you too.”</p><p class="p2">Youngho undid his laces and yanked them taut; he was always so fussy with the way he tied his shoes. Jungwoo recognised this particular pair as a gift from Taeyong.</p><p class="p2">“You remember how you told me you wanted to get married by 25?”</p><p class="p2">“Hm.”</p><p class="p2">“Do you think you can do it?”</p><p class="p2">Youngho paused briefly, before resuming to double tie his laces. “Doubt it. I’d have to find someone n<em>ow</em>, and that’s not happening.”</p><p class="p2">“You never know.”</p><p class="p2">“I’m still not over Taeyong yet. I don’t think I will be for a long time.” Youngho leaned back up with a long, old man sigh that Jungwoo might have made fun of any other day. He gave Jungwoo a wry smile. “What about you?”</p><p class="p2">“Me? I have ages to go till I’m 30.”</p><p class="p2">“Yeah, but you’re still dating that Jeong Jaehyun, aren’t you?”</p><p class="p2">Jungwoo shrugged. “Yes, but marriage is like… that’s so far away.”</p><p class="p2">Youngho chuckled. “I feel the same way. Okay,” he straightened his back, “I’m off.”</p><p class="p2">“Get home safe,” Jungwoo trilled, high-pitched, as if Youngho didn’t live across the hall from him. His friend laughed far too loud for three in the morning.</p><p class="p2">“Go straight to bed, okay? You’ve got cram school in the morning.”</p><p class="p2">“Okay, oppa.” He ducked the punch that Youngho threw at him, and met his high-five with a scissor gesture. Then he peaked around his doorway till his friend disappeared behind his front door.</p>
<hr/><p class="p2">Jungwoo was 23 when he returned from his enlistment, and soon thereafter unceremoniously dumped from a six-year relationship.</p><p class="p2">Youngho came over immediately. Jungwoo felt horrible, since Youngho was always so busy with his students, but he was grateful nonetheless. He wished he could show it by having an actual conversation, though.</p><p class="p2">“I can’t believe someone could be that harsh,” Youngho said. “I mean, six years, and he won’t even tell you why?”</p><p class="p2">Jungwoo opened up a fourth bottle of soju. “I theorise it’s the lack of hair.”</p><p class="p2">Youngho tutted. Jungwoo knew this one: ‘now is not the time to joke around’ or whatever, but Jungwoo would rather die than tell Youngho how he feels.</p><p class="p2">“I bet he’s up to no good. I bet he got into some deep shit while you were gone and he didn’t want to drag you into it.”</p><p class="p2">“You’re always so optimistic, hyung. You make him sound so caring.”</p><p class="p2">“You’re right, he doesn’t deserve that. I bet there’s someone else.”</p><p class="p2">“<em>Noooooo</em>.”</p><p class="p2">“I bet there is! There’s no other explanation.”</p><p class="p2">And honestly, Jungwoo had considered it. He’d considered it back when Jaehyun had started university and he was still in school, he’d considered it when Jaehyun went to Japan with friends and kept taking pictures with this one guy. Jungwoo had insinuated it when Jaehyun returned, and Jaehyun had bit back that hanging out with Yuta was considered cheating, then Jungwoo had been cheating on him with Youngho all this time.</p><p class="p2">And well. Point made.</p><p class="p2">Jungwoo took a swig straight from the bottle. He was a big gulper; it was half empty in two. “Guess our marriage pact is still on.”</p><p class="p2">“Our what?”</p><p class="p2">“You know.”</p><p class="p2">“Oh, wow, that thing. That’s still on?”</p><p class="p2">And Youngho’s eyebrows lifted in such a way that Jungwoo had always loved, so he surged forward and kissed him. It was clumsy — Jungwoo was lucky he even got his mouth — and Youngho’s face felt cool under his palms.</p><p class="p2">“Jungwoo—“ Jungwoo felt hands pull at his hands, his elbows, but he didn’t pull away. “Hey!”</p><p class="p2">He was finally pushed away by the shoulders. Youngho looked… angry? Alarmed? Scared? Jungwoo couldn’t tell. “You don’t want to?”</p><p class="p2">“You’re drunk,” Youngho breathed. His hands were still firmly on Jungwoo’s shoulders, hands grasping into his t-shirt. “And you’re hurting. You don’t know what you’re doing.”</p><p class="p2">“I like you.”</p><p class="p2">“No you don’t. You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Youngho rose from his seat on the floor, correcting Jungwoo’s sway so he sat upright.</p><p class="p2">“Hyung—”</p><p class="p2">“I’m going to make you one more bowl of ramyeon, and then I have to go home.” Youngho thumbed at a sauce stain on his jeans. “It’s getting late and I still have papers to mark.”</p><p class="p2">Jungwoo felt something ugly swirl in his stomach, and it wasn’t the fried chicken. He scowled at his half-empty soju bottle as if it was responsible.</p><p class="p2">“You try going to the bathroom.”</p><p class="p2">“I will,” Jungwoo muttered bitterly. “Thanks, hyung.”</p>
<hr/><p class="p2">There was nothing sexy about waking up on a balmy summer morning to morning breath, no matter how hot the source of said morning breath was.</p><p class="p2">It was even less acceptable when it was Youngho. “Hey,” Jungwoo grunted, trying his best to keep his lips pressed together. He swatted blindly at the mouth resting inches away from his. “Fuck off.”</p><p class="p2">Youngho’s snore turned into a quiet snort, which just smelt even worse. Jungwoo tried his best to shuffle away, but his naked torso was trapped under Youngho’s huge arm. “I’m getting up, let me get up.”</p><p class="p2">Youngho sighed, breath hitting Jungwoo’s nose again. It was then that Jungwoo decided that looking in another direction would be a good idea. “You’re disgusting in the morning.”</p><p class="p2">“Mm, you’re the one who gave me permission to cuddle.” Youngho tried to pull Jungwoo closer, but Jungwoo pinched the finger resting against his ribcage. “Ow.”</p><p class="p2">“Let me go, dude. I’ll make you breakfast if you let me go.”</p><p class="p2">“Your eggs are disgusting.”</p><p class="p2">“I was going to make cereal.”</p><p class="p2">“You make cereal soggy.” Youngho turned Jungwoo back on his back when he tried to roll away. “Stay in bed, we can make out. Maybe even more.”</p><p class="p2">“I actually have to go to work.”</p><p class="p2">Youngho lifted his head up. “On a Saturday?”</p><p class="p2">“I have some stuff I need to get done by Monday morning that I’m nowhere near finishing.” Jungwoo took the opportunity to slide away when Youngho’s arm went lax. “I want to get it done today, and I’ve got a date tonight, so.”</p><p class="p2">“You’ve got a date?” Youngho pulled himself up on one arm. The thin sheet slid away to reveal his entire upper body, but it wasn’t like it was doing much to cover the rest, either. “Then why are you here?”</p><p class="p2">“Because it’s your birthday,” Jungwoo chuckled. He made a big show of pulling his briefs on, even shimmying them into place. Youngho, predictably, laughed. “31 is a big milestone.”</p><p class="p2">“No it’s not!”</p><p class="p2">“It’s no big deal. Dongyoung hyung set me up.” Jungwoo pulled a button-down around his shoulders before he realised it wasn’t his. “Some Canadian guy called Mark. Apparently he has a cute laugh and his face crinkles up when he smiles.”</p><p class="p2">“Sounds like your type.”</p><p class="p2">“That’s what Dongyoung said. I don’t even know what my type is.” Jungwoo, finally dressed in his own clothes, didn’t bother being discrete when he pulled his wedgie out.</p><p class="p2">“Maybe you’ll be a married man by 30 yet.”</p><p class="p2">“A married man by…? Oh.” Jungwoo snorted. “Yeah, okay. Soggy cereal?”</p><p class="p2">“Okay, damn, I’ll make us breakfast, then.” Youngho finally rose proper, throwing on leg over the side of the bed. “Oh shit.”</p><p class="p2">“Is your back sore? Just stay in bed, I’ll order you breakfast.” He glared at Youngho when he tried throwing his other leg off the side. “Seriously, don’t get up. It’s the weekend, you can afford to sleep another hour.”</p><p class="p2">“You sound like Dongyoung. I’ll be fine in five minutes.” Youngho didn’t bother with clothes as he ambled to the bathroom — and why should he? It’s his house. “Teachers never get a day off, anyway.”</p><p class="p2">“I’ll probably be gone before you’re out.”</p><p class="p2">“Okay!” Youngho called, voice echo-y from inside the bathroom. “Enjoy your date, then! Tell me how it goes.”</p><p class="p2">“Will do!”</p>
<hr/><p class="p2">No, dating wasn’t really necessary for them. Not when Jungwoo knew everything about Youngho, and Youngho knew everything about Jungwoo.</p><p class="p2">Still, a part of him thought this was a joke. The pact was never supposed to be serious.</p><p class="p2">“Ask me again when you have a ring,” Jungwoo told him.</p><p class="p2">Youngho immediately let go of Jungwoo’s hand and lifted himself upright. “Well…”</p><p class="p2">Jungwoo had to bite his tongue to stop from swallowing it because there was no way, there was <em>no way — </em></p><p class="p2">Youngho placed the jewellery box next to his knee. With shaking hands, Jungwoo pried it open, and there sat a simple silver ring. No gems, no frills, which is exactly the kind of thing Jungwoo wanted.</p><p class="p2">“How long have you had this?” Jungwoo asked.</p><p class="p2">“Only a few weeks, don’t you worry.”</p><p class="p2">“The fact that you even have it is worrying.” Jungwoo tried to grin it away. “I always told you you watch way too many kissing movies.”</p><p class="p2">“Is your answer no?”</p><p class="p2">“No." Jungwoo swallowed his pride. "I’ll marry you.”</p><p class="p2">Youngho smiled easier. “Good, because we pinky promised.”</p><p class="p2">Jungwoo’s head felt funny as he looked back down at the ring. It was unassuming, but knowing Youngho, it was probably fucking expensive.</p><p class="p2">“Would you like me to put it on?”</p><p class="p2">“Uh, sure.”</p><p class="p2">It didn’t feel as foreign as expected. Jungwoo lifted his hand to the sunlight, turning his hand around and watching it glint in every different way.</p><p class="p2">“Do you like it?”</p><p class="p2">Jungwoo hummed. “Don’t you think this was a little overdone?”</p><p class="p2">“Oh, shut up.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/singledadjohnny">Twitter</a> || <a href="https://curiouscat.me/singledadjohnny">Curiouscat</a></p><p>Link to the original request <a href="https://twitter.com/sosuhnny/status/1325803332544294913?s=21">here</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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